Feeding mechanism for button-attaching machines.



H. 1. MACDONALD.

FEEDING .MECHANISM FOR BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINES. APPucATloN FILED1111.2, 1915.

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FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED '1AN. 2, |915.

Patented July 18, 1916.

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ATTORNEYA WITNESSES H. J. MACDQNALD. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BUTTONATTACHING MACHINES.

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UNITED STATES rnTENT oFnrcE.

HARRY J. MACDONALD, or cHIcAGd-imimois FEEDTNG MEcHANrsM ronBUTTon-TTAoiiiivG ivrAeiiivEs.

Specication of Letters Patent. "Ptnijed lily 1.8, 1916.

origina apiiiica'iibn filed Aprile, 11914,'sera1`Nois29gaio- `iiidfieaaaa airs' appietin lfiled January a,

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Beit known that I, HRRY JJMA'CDONLD, a citizen of the United States, andresiding at Chicago,l Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism` for Button- AttacliiiigMachines, of which the following, taken in connection with the drawings,is a description. l Y' This invention relates to improvementsin feedingmechanism for button attaching inachines of the typeused for securinghollow shank buttons such as shoe buttons or'the like to a'riy kind ofhat material.

Thisis'a 'division'of my application led in the United States PatentOiiee on April 3, 19,14, said application bearing Serial No; 829,270. l

The principal object of my invention is to provide a mechanismwherebybuttons of different Sizes may be used, ksuchfor instance as alarge size adapted for iise on inens shoes, and a small size suitablefor childrei'is shoes, so arranged that eachfbutton receptacle may beadjusted to feed the biittons desired into a chute leading to theattaching mechanism.

Additional objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription and from the' drawingsin which,

Figure 1 is aside elevation ofthe feeding mechanism mountedl upon abutton attaching machine; Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe button containingreceptacles of diifereiit sizes; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional Viewthrough the center of one of the hoppers or receptacles; lis' anenlarged detail'of the discharge groove from one of the hoppers and itsconnection with they feeding chute; Fig. 5 is a top plan view ofthebutton feeding chiite; Fig. 6 is a transverse'sectional ,view taken yon'line 6-6 of Fig.I 2, looking inthe Idirection of the arrows; 7 is asectional detail of the universal joint coiinecting thefreceptacleoperating mechanism `with the driving'mechanism; Fig. 8

isa bottom `plan view of a r'evoluble plate inf the hopper; aiid'Fig.` 9is a sectional'view throilgh said'plate. v

Referring to the drawings, A Vrepr'e'serits a suitable table Vor supportuponwwh'ich the operative mechanism is mounted.

vA is a downwardly inclined fra'rhe Y to which is secured the Yfeedingand attaching meehaism of myfmaehine.-

1915; seriaiiio. 22.

'l isffa vvertical'shaft which preferably eX- tends tothe Vfloor,and isvconnected with a foot ftreadle, or any other' suitable motive power, nothere shown. Seciired to the shaft isa V'sproeket 'chain Bfwhich connectswith the operative parts of the button attaching iiiechlais'm rwhich is't'hesiihject of my c0- pendingv application. y j i VC2 is a shaft whichconnects` with the biltton attaching mechanism and extends downwardlythrough the fr'ame A and Vhas moiintedthereon a coiled spring'Ca,against the vtension of which the attaching mechamsmiiso'perated.

v D is an anvil which is secured to the front of 'thai-frame A', 'andagainst ywhich the staple forniiii'gthe,button fastener is pressedtof'secure it 'fin'- place'.

VSupported above the bedplate A2 in a downwardly inclined position isythe button feed chiite E. This chuteV isvsecu'red in place bythe bracketE rising froml the bed plate A2, and entends from the buttonreceptacles tof'the staple mechanism.

E2 is a rocker arm fulcrumed at E3 to the bracketrattached tothe bedplate A2. One end ofgthisV rocker arm is provided with a rectangularslot e iiito which projects the pin c by means of which the rocker armis moved to deliver the button from the feed chiite E, that is to' beoperated upon.

F is abut'tfonfeed arm'pivo'tally secured at one end tothe'rocker 'armE?. This button feed arm `terminates at the free end thereof in a'presser foot e2 which engages the:button` vwhenf it reaches the lowerend of the feed chiite. As will be observed the contour of the end sideof the presser foot is concave to adaptl it more readily to engage thecoiiveXfor sphericalshape of the top of the ordinary shoe button. Acoiled spring 0 siirroundsthe shaft E3 upon which vthe arm E2 is 4rockedand eierts ardownward tension jbh'theeppr 'eed or saidar'm. secured c tothe button feed 'arm FI and to the pin 0. apen the ro'keima yis a @sindspring exert; a dowiiw'ard`V teiisio'n uponthe ybutton feed am F.

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G is @flexible ease-1g'l supported apen the shaftG othe `frame A. Thisbearing is pli-treed with assert-t g in the upper and the rear of thesupporting frame A and carried thereon is a revoluble table H. Thistable is secured against revolution by the screw H2 which engages thepost H and supports the table. By this means the hopper is securelylocked. Arranged upon the revoluble table H is a plurality of hoppers7L, 7L', 71,2, of different sizes and adapted to contain different sizedbuttons. With the exception of the size these hoppers are e X actlyalike, so that a description of one will suiice for all. The hoppers 7L,7L', 7b2, are preferably cylindrical in form and extending from each oneis a hopper base button outlet J adapted to engage the upper end of thebutton chute E when the hopper is turned to feeding position 'byrevolving the table or hopper base H. Each of the hoppers is providedwith a removable cover z', z", Inside of each of said hoppers is a plateor disk K5 provided with an opening 7u, 7c, 7a2, respectively, saidopening graduating in size to allow different sized buttons to passtherethrough on the way to thebut` ton chute as they are to be used. Theplate K5 is fixedly secured to an agitator shaft K extending through thecenter of each hopper from the bottom to the top thereof, Fig. 3.

702 is a small leaf spring secured to the under side of each plate K5,which projects into the path of the buttons as they fall into thegrooves 7.34. The bottom L of each of the hoppers 7b, 7L, 7L2, issupported upon the shaft K and has `an upturned iange Z near theperiphery thereof, Fig. 3.

Each of the plates L is provided with a plurality of radially extendingsockets in each of which is seated a coiled spring n. An agitator blockn beveled at the outer end thereof is seated in each of said sockets andbears against its corresponding spring n. These blocks extend slightlybeyond the periphery of the plate L into the groove 7a4.

'Ihe groove 7;* in each of the button hoppers terminates coincidentlywith a corresponding groove a2 leading to the but-ton outlet J, thenceto the chute E.

lVhen the machine is ready for operation the hoppers 71 k, 71,2, areiilled with buttons of different sizes, preferably of the kindillustrated in Fig. 4 having a spherical head N and loop shank N. Thenafter loosening the screw H2 which secures the hopper base to itssupport, the hopper containing the buttons to be used is turned tooperative position so that its discharge chute is in line with thegroove .e3 of the button chute E, and enough buttons are discharged inthe chute to lill it as shown in Fig. 4. When it is desired to usebuttons of a different size, or kind, in one of the other hoppers, thescrew H2 is loosened, and the chute E is emptied of the buttonscontained therein, the hopper base H is revolved to bring into positionthe receptacle containing the buttons to be used, the screw H2 istightened and the buttons are fed into the chute as before.

To start the buttons feeding through the chute in advance of theoperation of the machine, a revoluble crank O is provided which engageseither of the agitator shafts K for the purpose of displacing thebuttons in the hopper and causing them to drop through the opening 7a2in the disk 765 onto the plate L', which as previously described, is ofsmaller diameter than the cylinder forming the hopper thereof, providinga groove between the peripheryof the plate L and the wall of the hopperon a flange Z at the bottom thereof.

Through the connection of the universal joint G between the hopper beingoperated and the operative mechanism of the machine, the agitation ofthe hopper causes the buttons to drop into the groove 04, from whencethey are carried toward the discharge groove a2 by the motiontransmitted to the plate L with each action of the opera tive mechanism.With each operation of the machine, attaching a button, the plate L,carrying with it the blocks a which project across the groove 764, moveswith them the buttons in said groove to carry them toward the exit J.When the buttons reach the eXit from the hopper they drop by gravityinto and down the button chute E, where they are delivered by thepresser foot F to the operative mechanism as each button is required forattaching. When the button chute is filled, the agitator blocks fn.carry the buttons in the groove 7c4 against an obstruction n over whichthey are thrown to the opposite side when they can fall into the groove7c4 and are carried to the point of eXit. As the buttons are used out ofthe chute more buttons are fed therein from the groove 704, so that thebutton chute is kept full of buttons and ready for operation at anytime.

It will be observed that the blocks a are beveled on the outer endthereof in the direction the buttons are traveling. If the buttons areproperly seated with the shanks thereof in the groove 7c, the pressureof the blocks against them will be sufficient to move them to the pointof exit. If, however, any of the buttons are not properly seated in thegroove or for any reason are not moving in the direction desired, thesmall leaf spring 7c3 secured to the bottom of the plate K5 meets saidbuttons just in advance of the exit and forces them back onto the plate.By the agitation caused with each operation of the machine, the buttonswill find their way with the Shanks thereof downward into the groove7c4L ready for exit.

I claim:

l. In a button feeding mechanism, the combination of a revoluble table,a plurality of receptacles mounted thereon and carried thereby, aguide-way extending from the bottom of each of said receptacles, adownwardly inclined button chute adapted to register with the guide-wayof each receptacle as it is brought into feeding position, and amechanism for directing the movement of the buttons from the receptaclesto the button chute, substantially as described.

2. In a button feeding mechanism, the combination of a revoluble table,a plurality of button receptacles of different sizes mounted thereon, aguide-way extending from the bottom of each of said receptacles, adownwardly inclined button chute registering with the guide-way of eachreceptacle as it is turned to feeding position, an agitator shaftextending verticallyl through each of said receptacles, drivingmechanism having connection with said agitator shaft, and means forregulating the advance of the buttons through the receptacle,substantially as described.

8. In a button feeding mechanism, the combination of a revoluble table,a plurality of button receptacles of different sizes mounted thereon, anagitator shaft extending vertically through each of said receptacles, adisk fixedly secured to the agitator shaft near the bottomv of eachreceptacle, each disk having an opening of the proper size to permit asingle button to drop therethrough, and means for regulating the advanceof the buttons through the receptacle, substantially as described.

4. In a button attaching machine, the combination of a supporting frame,a driving shaft, a revoluble table, a plurality of hoppers supportedthereon, each of said hoppers having a circumferential groove in thebottom thereof extending to the discharge opening, a disk in each ofsaid hoppers upon which the buttons are supported, said disk having anopening therethrough through which the buttons are fed into theaforesaid groove, and means connected with the driving mechanism foragitating the buttons in the hopper with each operation of the machine,substantially as described.

5. In a button attaching machine, the combination of a supporting frame,a drivdisk mounted upon the agitator shaft above the revoluble disk,said disk having an opening through which the buttons fall upon therevoluble disk, and means for directing said buttons to the exitopening, substantially as described.

6. In a button attaching machine, the combination of a supporting frame,a driving shaft, a revoluble shaft, a revoluble table, a plurality ofhoppers supported thereon, an agitator shaft in each of said hoppers, arevoluble disk in the bottom of each hopper, said disk being of smallerdiameter than the hopper whereby a circumferential groove is formed inthe bottom of the hopper, a plurality of agitator blocks carried by saiddisk and projecting across the groove, a disk supporting the buttons tobe used, said disk provided with an opening through which the buttonsare dropped onto the revoluble disk, and mechanism connected with theaforesaid driving shaft for agitating said buttons and directing thesame toward the point of delivery, substantially as described.

7 In a button attaching machine, the combination of a supporting frame,a driving shaft, a revoluble table, a plurality of hoppers supportedthereon, an agitator shaft in each of said hoppers, a revoluble disk inthe bottom of each hopper, said disk being of smaller diameter than thehopper whereby a circumferential groove is formed in the bottom of thehopper leading to the point of discharge, means for directing thebuttons into said groove and carrying them to the point of exit, andmeans for retarding the progress of said buttons at predeterminedintervals, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

HARRY J. MACDONALD.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR B. RUSSELL, VIVIAN REESER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

